Annual Meeting Dates: 11/01/09 to 11/03/09, Minneapolis, MN

Existing plantings will be maintained and data collection will continue according to protocols developed by the respective technical committees. Planting coordinators will analyze and summarize data from the various sites for each coordinated planting, and will lead in writing 5-year progress reports and 10-year final reports for publication. Technical sub-committees for 4 fruit commodities (apple, cherry, peach, and pear) have developed plans for future multi-state coordinated plantings which will support project objectives.
Apple Sub-Committee (T. Robinson, Chair) Plans were finalized to proceed with a multi-state apple rootstock trial to be planted in 2010. The trial will consist of 31 rootstocks, including new Russian and Geneva rootstocks, with Honeycrisp and Fuji as the scions. The trial will be planted at 21 locations in North America. T. Robinson (NY) will organize the trial and W. Autio (MA) will coordinate the data.

Cherry Sub-Committee (G. Lang, Chair) Plans were developed for a high-density sweet cherry trial to be planted in 2010. This trial will evaluate three dwarfing rootstocks and three training systems. The trial will be planted in WA, MI, OR, NY, and NS, with cultivars differing by state. Two independent 2010 plantings of high-density tart cherries will be planted in UT and MI for mechanical harvest. The UT trial will evaluate three rootstocks at multiple row spacings with Montmorency as the scion. The MI trial will evaluate four rootstocks and own rooted Montmorency with three training systems. G. Lang (MI) will organize the trials and coordinate the data.

Peach Sub-Committee (G. Reighard, Chair) Protocols were discussed for managing the 2009 peach rootstock and physiology trials. Reighard (SC) will organize the trial and coordinate the data.

Pear Sub-Committee (T. Einhorn, Chair) Plans were developed for a 2012 pear rootstock x training x spacing planting at four locations: NY, OR, (possibly a WA site) and CA. Scion selection will vary, based upon regional interests, and will be budded on OHxF 87, OHxF 69, and Pyro 2-33. Spacing and training systems will facilitate moderate to high-density designs. T. Einhorn (OR) will organize the trial, and coordinate the data.

Potential SCRI eXtension Grant: Emily Hoover (U of MN) led a discussion on submitting an eXtension SCRI grant to establish a communit of practice (CoP) on apple rootstocks. It was decided to proceed with submission, Emily Hoover lead.

Potential SCRI Planning Grant: Gennaro Fazio will take the lead on developing an SCRI planning grant focused on rootstock research, with discussion centering on potential mulit- and trans-disciplinary collaborators (breeders, geneticists, physiologists, soil ecologists, sociologists, and ecologists as well as potential stakeholders and sources of matching funds (Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission, other state grower associations, nurseries, fertilizer companies, etc.). Potential objectives and studies could include rootstock architectures, replant issues, nutrient uptake, and resource partitioning.